1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a louver device made of a flexible sheet-like material and, more particularly, to a louver device wherein a plurality of slits are formed in a main body such that a slat is defined between the adjacent slits and wherein the slats are slanted by shearing the main body in the direction of the surfaces thereof.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, a so-called Venetian blind has been well known as a louver device used for adjusting the amount of light passing through a window or the like. However, a conventional louver device of this type has a complicated structure and the manufacturing cost thereof is high. In addition, it hangs down whenever it is used. Therefore, the conventional louver device of this type does not have a wide range of application; it cannot be used for a skylight, for example.
Another type of louver device has been well known wherein a plurality of slats are rotatably supported at both ends and are slanted simultaneously by means of a link mechanism or the like. A louver device of this type can be used for a skylight. However, it is also complicated in structure and the manufacturing cost thereof is high. In addition, it is inevitably large and heavy.
A louver device adapted to control the light amount can be used not only in a house for dwelling but other kinds of houses. For example, it can be used for a greenhouse, so as to control the amount of light entering the greenhouse. If a greenhouse has a louver device on the inner side of the roof and the inner side of the wall, both the amount of sunlight entering the greenhouse and the amount of infrared rays radiating from the interior of the greenhouse can be controlled. As a result, the temperature in the greenhouse can be controlled easily without requiring a large amount of energy. Further, the plants in the greenhouse can be grown easily. However, if the inner side of the roof is completely covered with a louver device, the area for installation will be very wide, requiring a very high cost for the louver device itself. In addition, the greenhouse must have a structure sufficient to withstand the weight of the louver device, with the result that a very high cost will be required for the greenhouse, too. For these reasons, it is required that a louver device intended for use in a greenhouse have a simple structure and be light in weight. It is also required that the manufacturing cost thereof be low.